MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Backed by a 23-point effort by Victoria Morales, the Auburn University at Montgomery women's basketball team got back into the win column with an 83-76 home victory over Gulf South Conference foe Shorter on Sunday night.

NOTES
- The Warhawks improve to 9-8 with a 2-6 GSC record.   
- Shorter remains winless at 0-12 and has now lost 35 consecutive games.
- Morales netted her fourth double-double of the season.   

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Morales scored 23 points and grabbed 18 rebounds.
- Jordan Brewster and Catlin Carter were also in double figures, tallying 18 and 16 points respectively.
- Aaliyah Milord was tied with Morales for the team lead in assists with five.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Shorter's leading scorer Jasmine Gaines tallied the game's first four points of the game, allowing the Hawks to jump out to a 4-0 lead. The Warhawks responded with a 10-0 run with just under seven minutes remaining to run the game to 10-4. Morales totaled AUM's first five points, while Carter and Brewster netted scores as well. The Hawks scored the game's next five points to cut the Warhawk lead to one, but Brewster answered with a 3-pointer to push the AUM stronghold. Shorter would finish the first period taking 12 of the game's next 15 points to take a 21-18 lead going into the second quarter.
- Right off the hop, Brewster was able to knock down a 3-pointer 30 seconds into the second quarter to tie the game at 21. Shorter answered with six-straight points to regain a six-point lead and the teams would trade baskets and free-throws until the first media timeout. The Hawks held on to a 32-25 lead heading into the first official stoppage. It was the Carter show coming out of the timeout as the junior netted five of the game's next eight points which cut the Hawks' lead to 35-32. Brewster, Morales and Carter teamed up to give AUM a five-point lead with another 10-0 run. Shorter grabbed four points before the end of the half, which resulted in a 42-39 lead at the half for the Hawks.
- Shorter was the beneficiaries to the start of the second, taking six of eight to start the third quarter to regain the lead at 45-44. Morales was able to put a stop to the Hawks' run, hitting a 3-pointer to give the Orange & Black a 47-45 lead. A jumper by Morales on the next possession extended the AUM lead to 49-45. Gaines broke the short streak from the Warhawks with a pair of free-throws, only to be matched by two shots from the charity stripe from Roni Richardson. Alex Brown entered the game and was an immediate force off the bench for AUM. Brown was able to knock down five-consecutive points for the Warhawks, to help extend their lead to 56-50. The two teams traded free throws and layups at the end of the third, resulting in a 61-56 AUM lead going into the fourth quarter.
- A tightly-contested fourth quarter began with a Shorter jumper to make it a one possession game. AUM answered with scores from Jemaiya Lee and Carter to extend the lead to eight. Two free throws with six minutes left in the game allowed the Orange & Black to take an eight-point lead but Shorter was able to claw back right before the media timeout, running the game to 68-64 with five minutes remaining. Morales would knock down two free throws and a layup to distance the Warhawks from the Hawks, but with two minutes left, Shorter was still within three points. The Orange & Black would solidify the game by going on a late 6-0 run to take a nine-point lead with 30 seconds left in the game. A free-throw shooting affair eventually went the Warhawks' way, as AUM was able to come away with an 83-76 victory.  

UP NEXT
After playing five games in 10 days, women's basketball will play their next game on Saturday, Jan. 18 against GSC rival Montevallo. The game from the AUM Gymnasium is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. and will also feature the men's basketball programs.        

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